Danger signal for firearms



April 12 1927. 1,624,876

L.. P. SMITH f DANGER SIGNAL FOR FIREARMS Filed Aug. 27, 1925 FIG. 1

Patented Apr. 12, 1927.

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maar@ rar oFFlCEX LOUIS RBMITH, F ITHACA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TOr ITHACA GUN COMPANY, O F

DANGER SIGNAL FOR FIREARMS.

Application filed August 27, 1925. Serial No. 52,891.

This invention relates to improvements in danger signals for lire-arms.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a danger signal for a fire-arm which will be exposed to ready view when the hammer of the lire-arm is in its cocked position and is not locked in such position by a safety mechanism.

A further objectof the invention is the l0 provision of a danger signal of contrasting color which will be exposed to view when the hammer safety mechanism is in its hammer releasing position and will be covered or concealed when the said mechanism is in its hammer locking or holding position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a fragmentary portion of a fire-arm showing a danger signa] embedded in the top tang exposed to view,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, but with the stock removed to expose the mechanism mounted in the breach portion of the fire-arm, and

Figure 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2, but shows the safety mechanism arranged in its hammer locking or holding position and with the operating button of the safety mechanism covering or concealing the danger signal.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of this invention, the numeral 5 designates the top tang of a gun frame which is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 6 in which is slidably mounted the depending portion 7 of the safety mechanism operating button 8 which has a tail portion 9 projecting along the top surface of the tang 5. This tang has a recess 'lO formed in its top face, in close proximity to the rear end of the slot 6, and is intended to 'have its bottom face covered with a coloring material, such as red to indicate danger, which will contrast greatly with the metallic color of the stock 5. It will be seen, by inspecting Fig. 8, that this danger signal 11 will be concealed by the tail portion 9 of the safety operating button 8 when the latter is in the position illustrated in this figure. In Figs. 1 and 2, the safety mechanism operating button 8 is moved to arrange its depending portion 7 at the' opposite end of the tang slot 6. This movement of the safety button 8 will expose the danger signal ll.

By inspecting Figs 1 and 2, it will be seen that the safety operating button 8 is connected by the rod 12 with the post 13, carrying the top lever 14 and that the pivotal movement of the lever 14 to release the breech end 15 of the barrel will cause the rod 12 to be moved longitudinally rearwardly for shifting the operating button 8 into the position illustrated in Fig. 3. This movement of the button8 will cause the safety lever 16 to be pivoted for arranging its lower end 16l in Va position to overlie the upper edges 1T of the triggers 18. Therefore, this movement of the safety operating button 8 to conceal the danger signal 11 will cause the safety lever 16 to be arranged for locking the triggers 18 to prevent the same from being actuated to release the hammers for permitting 'the latter to be shifted into their fired position. It will now be understood that when the gun is broken, by the pivoting of the lever 14 to release the breech 15 of the barrel and the pivoting of the barrel, the safety operating button 8 will be moved into a position for concealing the danger signal 11. After the breech has been closed and the top lever 14 returned to its normal position, 'as illustrated in fulllines in Fig. 1, the safety button 8 will remain in its rearward position and the triggers 18 will be locked or held against hammer firing movement. To release the triggers 18, the button 8 must be moved along the top tang 5 for pivoting the safety lever 16 to shift the lower end 16a of the said lever from a position above the inner edges 17 of the triggers 18. The triggers 18 may then be pivoted for firing the hammers and this fact is indicated by the exposure of the danger' signal 11.

It is now believed that the functions and operation of this mechanism will be clearly understood from the above detail description. It is further to be understood that the form of this invention herewith shown and described is to be taken .as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted'to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or ythe scope of the subjoined claim. r

Having thus described the invention, I claim In a device of the type described, a gun frame including an upper tang having a longitudinal slot, a button slidable on the upper tang and having a bifurcated portion depending into said slot, a rod positively connected to the rear 'urcation of the depending portion of said button, a breech lock operating post journaled in the frame and engageable with the rod to move the latter for shifting the button rearwardly when the post is operated to unlock the breech, a pair of triggers pivoted yto the frame, and a safety lever pivoted in the frame with its upper end loosely received between the urcations of the button and with its lower end shiftable into a position to lock the triggers against firing when the button is shifted rearwardly.

In testimony whereof I affix niy signature LOUIS P. SMITH 

